In recent months, a number of technology luminaries have voiced concerns about the potential threat of Artificial Intelligence, echoing the final chapter of my book “Gadgets to God”. Bill Gates is quoted as saying (1) :- "I am in the camp that is concerned about super intelligence," Gates said in response to a question about the existential threat posed by AI. "First, the machines will do a lot of jobs for us and not be super intelligent. That should be positive if we manage it well. A few decades after that, though, the intelligence is strong enough to be a concern." Microsoft's co-founder joins a list of science and industry notables, including famed physicist Stephen Hawking and Internet innovator Elon Musk, in calling out the potential threat from machines that can think for themselves. Elon Musk, billionaire founder of Space X, in October 2014 called AI development "summoning the demon," and has invested in the space to keep his eye on it. Stephen Hawking, writing for The Independent in May 2014, also expressed his concerns. "Whereas the short-term impact of AI depends on who controls it, the long-term impact depends on whether it can be controlled at all," Hawking wrote.

1. (1) http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/bill-gates-is-worried-about-artificial-intelligence-too/
(2) http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/03/24/apple-co-founder-on-artificial-
intelligence-the-future-is-scary-and-very-bad-for-people/
In recentmonths,anumberof technologyluminarieshave voicedconcernsaboutthe potential threatof
Artificial Intelligence,echoingthe final chapterof mybook“Gadgetsto God”. Bill Gatesisquotedas
saying(1) :-
"I am inthe campthat is concerned aboutsuper intelligence," Gatessaidinresponse to a question
aboutthe existential threat posedby AI. "First,the machineswill doa lot of jobsfor us and notbe
super intelligent.That shouldbe positiveifwe manageit well.A few decades after that,though,the
intelligenceisstrong enoughto be a concern."
Microsoft'sco-founderjoinsalistof science andindustrynotables,includingfamedphysicistStephen
HawkingandInternetinnovatorElonMusk,incallingoutthe potential threatfrommachinesthatcan
thinkforthemselves. ElonMusk,billionaire founderof Space X, inOctober2014 calledAIdevelopment
"summoningthedemon," andhas investedinthe space tokeephiseye onit. Stephen Hawking, writing
for The IndependentinMay2014, alsoexpressedhisconcerns. "Whereastheshort-termimpact ofAI
dependson who controlsit, the long-termimpact dependson whether it can be controlledat all,"
Hawkingwrote.
More recently (2), inan interview withthe AustralianFinancial Review, Steve Wozniak,co-Founderof
Apple, joinedBill Gates,StephenHawkingandElonMusk bymakinghisowncasuallyapocalyptic
warningaboutmachinessupersedingthe humanrace.
"Like peopleincludingStephenHawking andElon Muskhave predicted, I agree that the future isscary
and very bad forpeople," Wozniaksaid. "Ifwe buildthese devicesto take care of everything for us,

2. (1) http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/bill-gates-is-worried-about-artificial-intelligence-too/
(2) http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/03/24/apple-co-founder-on-artificial-
intelligence-the-future-is-scary-and-very-bad-for-people/
eventuallythey'll thinkfaster than us andthey'll get ridof the slowhumansto run companiesmore
efficiently."
[Bill Gates on dangersof artificial intelligence: ‘I don’tunderstand why somepeoplearenotconcerned’]
Dolingoutparalyzingchunksof fearlike gumdropstosweet-toothedchildrenonHalloween,Woz
continued:"Willwebe the gods?Will we be the familypets? Or will we be ants thatget stepped on?I
don'tknow aboutthat … But when I got that thinkingin my headabout ifI'm goingto be treated in
the future as a pet to these smart machines… well I'm goingto treat my own pet dog really nice."
In the preface toGadgets to God I wrote :-
“The messagebehind thisautobiographical accountofmyown andmankind’srelationshipwith
machinesand technologyinthe second halfof the twentieth century and firstdecade of the twenty
first isquite simple.My generationof babyboomers has livedthroughan unprecedented periodin our
history.My life beganin an era when humanbeingsused their intelligenceandsenses to get the best
out of machinesandtechnologyandwill end inan age in whichmachinesand technologywill be using
all their intelligenceand sensesto get the best out of humanbeings.
Where once we were masters we maynow become slaves.The consequencesof thisshift inpower are
profound,unpredictableandpotentiallyeitherdisastrousor liberatingforthe future ofmankind.The
choiceswe are makingtoday abouthow, where and when we use the technologiesdescribedinthis
book couldwell destroy civilisationandthe beautiful planetwe live on.The worldI havespent my life
in isa metaphorical “GardenofEden” yet I fear that the new Godwe are all choosingtocreate in our
own imageand empower withall the knowledgeof goodand evil maywell cast us out intoan age of
darkness andconflict.”

3. (1) http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/bill-gates-is-worried-about-artificial-intelligence-too/
(2) http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/03/24/apple-co-founder-on-artificial-
intelligence-the-future-is-scary-and-very-bad-for-people/
Gadgets to God Book – www.gadgetstogodbook.com
Whilstthese wordsmightseemdramatic,Iwouldargue that,withinmylifetime,we have transitioned
froma societyinwhichtechnologywasusedas“Gadgets”whichrequiredthe skill,intelligence and
experience of humanbeingstogetthe bestfromthemto a new age in whichthe technologiesof
Artificial Intelligence(AI),CloudComputingandSocial Mediaare alreadybeingusedtoshape the
behavioursandactionsof humanbeingina waywhichis virtuallyindistinguishablefrommostpeople’s
perceptionof God.
God or some formof Deityhasprovidedafundamental platformforthe shapingof societyanda
bedrockforthe livesof billionsof people.Inpreviouscenturies,humanbeingscommunedwiththeir
God as an omnipotent,benevolent,invisible,omnipresentforce intheirlives.Humanbeingsinvested
substantial time,attentionandincome inprayerandservices,seekingguidance,directionandsupport
fromtheirGod but today,althoughbillionsof people worshipindifferentwayseveryday,the role that
God occupiedinmanypeople’slivesisnow beingtakenoverbythe technologiesof AI,CloudComputing
and Social Media.The table belowofferssome comparisonsbetweencommonperceptionsof Godand
whatthese technologiesoffer:-
Perceptions of God What Technology Provides Today
All seeing Digital capture of all our activities
All knowing Infinite knowledgeDatabase
All powerful Controlsalmostall aspectsof our lives
All listening Accessible anywhere,anytime,anyhow
InvisibleinHeaven Invisiblein“The Cloud”
All wise Wisdomof the Crowd
Lovesus as individuals PersonalisedServices
Knowsourthoughtsand desires Predictive computing
Immortal Secure,everlastingstorage
My judgement,likethose of the technologyluminaries,isthatwe shouldbe veryconcernedthatwe
have not “summonedthe demon”asElonMusk suggestedbutthe analogyinmypreviousarticle
“Societal FissionorFusion?”isthe bestwayIcan describe where we standatthe momentexceptthat
we may have gone pasta tippingpointinmankind’shistoryfromwhichthere isnowayback andunlike
nuclearfusionwhere we have devisedcoolingmechanismstoharnessatomicenergyforthe benefitof
mankind,Isee no equivalentmechanismsforthe internet.
My book’sfinal chapter“Endof the BeginningorBeginningof the End”sumsup the presentsituation
throughthe wordsof CharlesDickensin“Tale of Two Cities“
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of
foolishness,itwasthe epochof belief,it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it
was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had ”

4. (1) http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/bill-gates-is-worried-about-artificial-intelligence-too/
(2) http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/03/24/apple-co-founder-on-artificial-
intelligence-the-future-is-scary-and-very-bad-for-people/
everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all
goingdirect the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its
noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of
comparison only.”
CharlesDickens – Tale of Two Cities
DavidWortley
GAETSS
March 2015